Hot Rods Model a on 32 rails radiator height

I've got a 30 coupe with the mini channel done on the front, on a 32 frame. I know this has been done a thousand times so I thought I'd ask. What height radiator did y'all use to get the hood line right? Stock is 27" and is too tall.

 

It would depend on how much it was channeled... 1 inch ? 2 inches? What's a mini channel?
Mount the radiator and the grille shell then put a straight edge from the top of the cowl to the top of the grille shell and measure how much higher the grille shell is.

 

I trimmed the front feet off about 1" to make it sit flatter on the 32 frame.

 

^^^ what hotrod33 said^^^

 

Mock it up in cardboard and stand way back to do some eyeball engineering. Don't let this crowd decide for you what looks right.

 

You are in modified parts world, otherwise known as the domino effect. Once you start modifying things, nothing is a standard measurement. You need to mock, eyeball and determine what you need. As mentioned, straight edges and masking tape help.

 

Thanks for trying to help guys but I did all that before I even posted this question. I have a height in mind, I just wanted to see what other people who have actually done this came up with.

 

If you look at the pictures and read what I wrote on my only thread, ‘getting the lines right’, using string and straightedges, maybe that will help you to find the correct height for your radiator. It’s important to get it right. HFH.

 

^^^ This! Then when you get it where you think it is right on the money, call your most car critical buddy who will give their honest opinion to come over and take a look. With or without a hood, if the radiator shell isn't at the perfect height in comparison to the cowl it blows the whole look of the car. That means too high or the goofy ass Graffiti coupe way too low look.

 

Krylon 32 who has built a number of these mention in a previous thread he always uses a 2” chopped radiator. That is what I ordered for my coupe which has the 3/4” mini channel. I also measured the radiator in my PU and it looks like 2” chop is the way to go.


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I’d also add that, at least in my opinion, rake/stance changes the perspective a bunch as well.

 

Look at '28-'29 Ford radiators for a height of 24"-25" overall. Mounting tabs at the bottom need to be considered.

 

My roadster is unchanneled on a '32 frame. I bought a '32 style radiator that's 3" shorter. The grill shell has been notched (I got it that way, I don't know how much more than stock), and there's about 2" now between the top of the radiator and the inside of the top of the grill shell. Today I laid some masking tape from the cowl to the shell, and it's apparent that it needs to come down a little, maybe 1/2"-3/4". It looked pretty good before the masking tape hood. Mock it up, stand back, take a look and go from there. Nothing looks worse to me than an uphill (a dead flat line LOOKS uphill too) from cowl to radiator shell.

 

Yeah I was thinking 2" shorter, that'll be 25" tall but wanted to hear it from the experts.